I was approved as a supported lodgings carer in February 2019. I’ve worked in social work and social care for most of my adult life and I’ve always enjoyed the company of older teenagers within my family and in my professional life.
I’d thought about fostering or offering supported lodgings for a long time but it wasn’t until I moved to my current home that I had the space to do this.
It was initially difficult finding out information about the service and I tried a few organisations before East Ayrshire got in touch. A social worker came out to give me some more information and checked out my home to ensure it would be suitable and it would provide a safe space for a young person.
Being assessed as a carer
The assessment process took a while, which is understandable as they have to ensure that you’re equipped to deal with some situations that might arise and also to make sure that it will be a safe, nurturing place for a young adult to be based.
The assessing social worker, was brilliant, she got me think about how I would deal with common situations and had me think about things I hadn’t considered previously. She was really supportive and prepared me for each stage of the process including what would happen when my assessment went to panel and what would happen afterwards.
She also invited me along to the Small Steps supported carers support group to meet people already carrying out the role and a young person who had lived in supported lodgings which was helpful in making my mind up that this was something I really wanted to do.
The first match with a young person
I live in a fairly rural part of north Ayrshire and it took a while to have a young person matched. In May 2020, my worker got in touch to say I had been potentially matched to a young person where her foster placement was breaking down.
As we were still under quite high Covid restrictions at that point, we had to meet outside and we discovered we had quite a lot of the same interests and we arranged for her to come over to see what she thought of the house, her potential room and the area.
Following this she had an overnight stay by which point, the foster placement advised she had to move sooner than planned. Normally, this would be more planned with some more time to get to know each other by the time the move takes place, but for us it’s worked out fine.
A rewarding role
Clara has been here for a year now and she’s an amazing young woman. She has loads of drive, knows where she wants to get to in life and she has a brilliant sense of humour. In that year, we’ve went through lockdowns, her being furloughed, Christmas and three holidays. I’ve also discovered that she’s a shark at Scrabble!
We’ve both had lots of support from East Ayrshire, I get monthly supervision and can get in touch anytime if I have any questions. Clara’s social worker has also been so supportive in ensuring she has the help and support she needs to transition into the next phase of her life.
What supported care means to Clara
I chose supported care over different options available when my foster placement broke down so as I would have more life experiences and more independence before moving to my own place.
I’ve had lots of support from the council and my social worker was great in supporting me on my decisions and would always check in with me. Supported care has been good for me in equipping me for my own place as it helps you see what has to be done in order to get your own place such as digs, cleaning and shopping.
I would recommend young folk consider supported care; it’s been a great experience for me as it teaches you how to deal with living expenses before moving into your own place. Also, you get to have a social life and not using all your money for a house when you can see friends or go on a holiday. You also get support from the person that you’re living with.
Make an enquiry today
If you are thinking about becoming a supported carer, get in touch with our friendly and knowledgeable team for an informal chat.